Interscape Commercial Environments

Where my Homies at??!!! My work from Homies that is. We can help! What a great way to start the week, having a client share pics of their new home office provided and installed by Interscape Commercial Environments. When Bryon Kamay of the Knights of Columbus contacted us for a new home office, we were anxious to assist.  Since Covid hit, Mr. Kamay has worked nearly 100% remotely.  As he puts it, “I have been bouncing around the house, attempting to work in every nook and cranny there is, all while dodging two distant learning boys and a wife with a home photography business. I spend most of the day on audio and video calls with colleagues and partners around the country in space not conducive to doing so. My environment was not allowing me to do my job efficiently and it was taking it’s toll on my overall wellbeing.” Kamay’s requirements for his home office were having a dedicated office space, great acoustical isolation, proper ergonomics and a great value.  Challenge accepted! We id

T he impact that design can have on our well-being is important and understanding the relationship between our physical environments and our well-being would improve the spaces that we create and design. The WELL Building Standard is the 'premier standard for buildings, interior spaces and communities seeking to implement, validate and measure feature that support and advance human health and wellness.' The standard focuses on seven concepts of building performance: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort and Mind. Even if you have no plans or the budget to become WELL Certified, companies are still utilizing the principles to help create a healthier environment. The more comfortable we are at work, the more productive we actually are and that is good business! Here are a few ways to implement these concepts at work and even now, in your home office. Air Indoor air quality can have a major impact on the health, comfort and well-being of your employees. Here

Whether you are a remote employee or working from home temporarily because of the coronavirus pandemic, here are a few essentials to stay comfortable and productive and keeping the importance of ergonomics in mind! Sitting all day is not beneficial for your physical and mental well-being whether you are working from home or in the office. Working from your couch or in bed may seem convenient or more comfortable but in the long run, it puts you in the wrong mental state and will negatively impact productivity. There are a lot of options for height-adjustable desking that allows you to sit/stand throughout the day and Teknion has various options like the Emote, hiSpace or the Navigate. Seating is just as important as your desking for an efficient home office so take the time to select and invest in a comfortable chair; ergonomics and comfort count when it comes to sitting. We have endless options: Contessa, Sabrina and the Projek office chairs and for a quick, cost-effective opt

You can BEERly hear us...at least not at From The Earth Brewing Company outside of Atlanta Georgia!!  We love working on creative projects in restaurants and entertainment so we were thrilled to help them with their acoustical challenges. As the USA Today's #1 brewpub in the nation, we knew we had to HOP on it ;) Interscape evaluated, designed and provided our highly tailored acoustical treatments to seamlessly blend with the spaces aesthetic.  Today’s breweries, eateries and entertainment venues are under tremendous pressure to design and build space with the customers in mind. Just having a great meal may no longer cut the mustard; the lighting, seating, ergonomics, materiality and especially the spaces aren't enough and acoustics are critical to the success. If individuals are not comfortable, you are going to hear about it and with dozens of social platforms to voice that upon, it needs to be a consideration. Investing in a space with acoustical comfort is investi

What a great turnout we had last night! Interscape hosted an informative CEU course on Ergonomics, facilitated by Lisa Barday of Teknion. The presentation outlined the principles of ergonomics and how they impact our comfort and well-being. We need to make good choices regarding posture, how and where we work and encouraging movement throughout the day to enhance wellness and reduce the risk of discomfort and injury. Lisa explored the reasons office furniture and related ergonomic accessories are sized the way they are - breaking down myths regarding furniture dimensions and ergonomics. Thank you to all that came out and attended the course. Stay tuned for some more exciting showroom events for 2020!

Lounge furniture is going beyond your living room and has become the norm in offices, reception areas, universities, cafes and more public spaces. Soft seating works in places where people meet, collaborate or just pass-through. The focus on corporate lounge design is becoming more than just creating a space away from the desk and shifting to the importance of common areas that support wellbeing. Biophilic design paired with lounge furniture by natural light enhancing employees mental and physical wellbeing. Lounge/soft seating areas are a prominent feature in office design, opening up possibilities for impromptu conversations, idea sharing and collaboration or personal focus and recharge.  Whether it be the cafe or a couple Studio TK Fractals by the window, lounge areas are designed with wellbeing in mind and we can all benefit from that! Interscape Commercial Environments Showroom

Office furniture trends change from time to time and 2020 will be no different. We will see more ergonomic and efficient offices that create enjoyable environments, rooms that enhance collaboration and creativity, achieving greater productivity and effectiveness. Furthermore, here are a few trends we can expect in the new year and beyond. "Recharge Rooms" These rooms are more than just a grouping of lounge chairs by the window to drink your morning coffee or chat with coworkers. Employees will be able to take a few minutes of downtime to relax, stretch and recharge their minds in order to tackle another project. Game Rooms can be complex with ping pong tables and video games or a space with a beanbag chair and small tv. This will allow workers a place to get away and come back to a project refreshed and ready. Nap Rooms seems counterproductive but having a small room big enough for a comfortable couch, allow those employees working long hours to take a power nap

The relationship between high quality office furniture and productivity of employees has just recently been discovered so that is why more companies are designing/redesigning their work environment. It is important to understand that the type of furniture in your office will play a vital role in enhancing potential and productivity of your employees; here are 5 reasons why your office furniture is important. 1. Good posture and support increases productivity so ergonomic chairs are vital to cater to different sizes and builds of employees. Even desk and monitor height, keyboard placement and how close your monitor is can have an important impact on the way you work. 2. Your office furniture can impact employee moods and the way they work. Different layouts/furniture are helpful in creating collaborative or private work environments and can also allow natural light or easy navigation for clients and visitors, making them have a positive experience in your office. Addin

With many companies wanting to increase both teamwork and productivity, open-plan offices have become a popular option. This office design is steering away from the closed off offices and cubicles for an office space where employees can work closely together. One of the main benefits of this is effective collaboration and although this office plan may not work for each employee, manufacturers have come out with inventive options for privacy in the workplace. Privacy Booths Privacy booths are the perfect option for giving your employees a private space to escape from the open office. Not only do they eliminate virtually all sounds from outside the booth, but they also give employees a space to take private calls without disrupting the rest of the office or worrying about being overheard. Booth-styled solutions are quickly evolving, allowing for a flexible work space within your office. Teknion now offers the Tek Booth with sound blocking and sound absorbing capabilities to optimiz

Office design matters. You spend most of your day at the office, which is enough of a reason to have your work environment be as comfortable, "home-like" and well-designed as possible. But there are more reasons for this than simply the number of hours you give your job each day. Here are just 3 reasons your office design matters! 1. Your office showcases your company culture and values. Does your company support local community? Buy and showcase local art on your office walls. Does your company embrace biophilic design and strive to be environmentally friendly? Design your office to be green with plants, natural lighting and finishes. How you design your office reflects what your business stands for. 2. It creates workplace well-being. Designing an office that promotes well-being, nudges your employees towards making healthier choices throughout their day. By installing furniture like benches and tables outside, allows employees to take frequent walks outside the

Open-plan offices are one of the most common modern work settings, providing a more communal, integrated atmosphere to suit the way we now work. Although phone conversations, co-workers collaborating, even the sound of typing keyboards can become a distraction, there are innovative acoustic design solutions that supports today's workplace environment, embracing the link between furnishings, architecture and importantly, the people. What exactly  is  architectural acoustics?  Architectural acoustics is the science and engineering of achieving a good sound within a building. Not only is proper acoustical design vital in the importance of the functionality of a space, but it can directly affect  tasks that take place in those spaces. There are two ways to solve an acoustic problem in a space; sound masking and sound absorption. Interscape Farmington Showroom  Sound masking systems use a soft unnoticeable background sound through a speaker and the user can control this sound

We have talked about the evolution of collaborative workspaces in commercial environments and education has followed suit, introducing comfort with collaborative work from an early age so that the work style progressively flows from kindergarten to the workplace. Instead of having traditional rigid rows of desking and "front of the room" classrooms, today's educational environments tend to have several focal points, as well as seating arrangements that focus on small groups. Beyond that, most modern classrooms have flexible soft seating areas where students can get comfy to read. Classes are now being blended to meet the needs of all students to work together and learn from one another. Classroom desking has evolved and are shaped like puzzle pieces so teachers can quickly arrange on the fly. Having casters on these collaborative tables make for easy transitions and students can stay engaged. Furthermore, these collaborative learning environments extend outside the

Patience is a virtue that many don't have or want to learn to have. Let's be honest, no one enjoys waiting in a waiting room, but it's something we all do and sometimes we wait a while! Hospitals are slowly moving away from the stark reception areas with uncomfortable seating and re-evaluating how space is designed to improve the experience for the patient and family members alike. Lounge chairs and couches are being utilized as a way to soften the environment that was once such a "clinical" setting. The importance of biophilic design has also been incorporated in hospitals and healthcare environments because it is understood that gardens, plants, daylight and natural elements make for more pleasant spaces. Ultimately, these natural elements will reduce stress and anxiety that can come from waiting rooms. Interscape Rendering for Hospital Lobby/Waiting Rooms Interscape Rendering for Hospital Lobby/Waiting Room Choose colors carefully as they have

Teknion Corporation released their 2018 Impact Report a couple months ago, sharing their activities in advancing sustainability for its employees, customers, community and planet while documenting the efforts and voices of those behind the achievements. "...We share with you the impact we have had on our employees, customers, communities and planet as we continue to evolve our business," said David Feldberg, President & CEO. "Vertical integration allows us to continuously bring expertise in-house and provides the perfect environment for us to learn and improve, challenge the status quo and push sustainability forward.  Employee  - The report begins by stating how employees are the "heart and soul" of the company. It illustrates how Teknion programs and initiatives are geared towards making long-term investments in employees, and how the company cultivates an environment that recognizes the skills, knowledge, perspectives and cultural contributions p

Looking to become a WELL Accredited Professional ? Join this 6 week study group to get a head start on preparing for the exam. Each week a WELL Faculty member will focus on one concept, including: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, mind, and comfort. Get the tools you need to succeed and begin preparing at Interscape! WELL Faculty Members: Carlie Bullock-Jones, Ecoworks Studio Tracy Backus, Teknion The first Study Group will be held on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 11:45am in the Interscape Showroom in Farmington. Please reference back to invite for the full schedule of study group session dates. There are limited spots available in the study group so register today at rsvp@interscape.com by February 6.

We've talked about the importance of office furniture and how it affects productivity  but there are other factors that go into creating a healthy work environment that are sometimes overlooked. Lighting. Lighting has a huge effect on us and since most people spend much of their day at work, it makes sense that quality lighting in the workplace is important. Natural lighting affects your mood. Think about how you feel during the winter months in New England when the sun sets around 4pm. You start to feel a bit cooped up, bummed out and have low-energy but when the sun is out for those long summer days, you are constantly outside and just feel good. Having windows in your work environment lets in the natural light creating a healthy and positive mindset. Open floor plans and glass walls to divide offices are ideal in that they allow for greater flow of daylight throughout the space. We understand that some workplaces don't have many or any windows near each workstation so

Happy New Year! A new year brings new possibilities, especially for our work lives and careers, and now is the time to make resolutions and evaluate your goals for 2019. Starting the new year with this list will help you be successful and can transform the way you work. 1. Evaluate/Change your Space Start by evaluating your office space and if it accommodates your current task at hand. Intense focus work requires a more private area, while a communal space is perfect for the collaborative project. A change of surroundings can help anyone become more energized and improve productivity. Start scouting a few locations in the office that support your current work and start using them on a daily basis. 2. Organize. Organize. Organize Take the beginning of the year to clean out the clutter in your work space. Organize and file away past projects and keep all current files neatly and easily accessible to keep your productivity up. This also pertains to digital files that may j

In many ways, 2018 was a noteworthy year. On the Interscape blog, we’ve shared workspace inspiration and covered some of the most prominent office design trends. As we soon launch into a new year, let's take a quick look at our most popular blog posts from 2018. Revisit an old favorite or catch up on a post you may have missed. Enjoy!  1. Top 5 Ways to Make Your Office Feel and Look Like A Home   Your office is your second home, and some days, it feels more than that! Today, many of us spend our waking hours at work and the evolution of the workplace environment has changed to look and, more importantly,  feel  like a home. Gone are the days of "Office Space" cubicles; today, we are incorporating lounge seating with rich colors textiles that contribute to health and happiness in the workplace...(read more on the blog ) 2.  What Does it Mean to be WELL Certified?   Teknion Corporation  announced that it is the first manufacturer in the wo